Rumors of the MK's "assassination" in Brussels appear to have originated in Gaza Strip.

MK Shaul Mofaz (Kadima) announced on his Facebook page Thursday that he was alive and well, following a flood of rumors on Arab social media and pro-Hamas forums that he had been assassinated in Brussels.

“Sorry to disappoint the Arab world, but I am in the Jewish state, safe and sound,” Mofaz wrote.

The reports that Mofaz had been assassinated circulated on social media sites Twitter, Facebook, and pro-Hamas internet forums.

The content of the rumor messages is almost identical: “Sources confirm the assassination of Shaul Mofaz, former Israeli Defense Minister, in the city of Brussels”. However, some of the reports attributed the story to Lebanese news source Al Jadeed, and others to the international Reuters news agency. None of the stories included a link to any other source.

The rumors appear to have originated from social media users in Gaza. One of those repeating or starting the rumor was Mohammad Abu Safia, a Gazan journalist and photographer. The rumors were also spread via the pro-Hamas internet forum PALDF.